Sat, Mar 23, kicks off this year’s Jingkids International School Expo (JISE). Renowned international school principals and admissions officers from over 30 prestigious Beijing international schools will engage in lightning-fast PechaKucha-style speeches. It’s a school selection exhibition that cuts straight to the chase, delivering practical and valuable information without any unnecessary fluff.
This is an efficient school selection exhibition that is completely focused on understanding parents’ needs, avoiding internal friction and traditional marketing tactics.
The biggest innovation of JISE this year is to take a different approach from traditional school expos. Instead of flashy performances that parents easily forget and schools boasting about themselves, schools will succinctly outline their most attractive features to parents in just 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
Can a school effectively communicate its core strengths and address parents’ concerns in the simplest and clearest language possible? Can a representative from the school present their values and the school’s educational philosophy in just 400 seconds, attracting students and families with similar beliefs to join them?
This is a test for both the presenters and the schools themselves. Those who dare to take on this challenge are pioneers and demonstrate their strength.
Let’s meet a few of the speakers.
Jayne Needham is Principal of The British School of Beijing – Shunyi Campus
With over 35 years of experience in education, Jayne has spent 18 years serving in leadership positions at IB international schools in the UK, Dubai, Bahrain, and China. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the University of Exeter in the UK and is certified by the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) program.
Jayne is a lifelong learner and educator who began her career as a mathematics teacher. Over the years, she has taken on various roles, accumulating rich experience in improving teaching quality and enhancing student learning experiences.
In August 2021, Jayne assumed the role of principal at The British School of Beijing – Shunyi Campus. This diverse and dynamic school has provided her with immense motivation to inspire students to set ambitious goals and achieve excellence in both academics and personal development. She is dedicated to making positive contributions to the school, community, and the world at large.
Scott Pare is Director of the Secondary School Department at Tsinghua International School (THIS)
Originally from Ontario, Canada, Scott Pare obtained his teaching certification and principal’s certificate there. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Brock University in Ontario, Canada, and a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York, USA.
Over the past 25 years, he has held positions at schools in Canada, South Korea, and China.
Throughout his career, Mr. Pare has served as a teacher, college counselor, curriculum coordinator, and vice principal. He advocates for improving the student experience, supporting students to make independent choices in their learning, and providing opportunities for growth through a variety of extracurricular activities.
Mr. Pare believes that relationships are fundamental to an excellent educational program, and he has established strong relationships and friendships with every member of the THIS community.
Linda Lin serves as Assistant Vice President for Group Strategic Development and College Counseling at HD School
Linda graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). During her high school years, she studied at Headington School in the UK, achieving top scores in A-level mathematics and economics, and an outstanding IELTS score of 8.5.
With a unique perspective on providing high-quality international education to Chinese students, Lin Yue is dedicated to helping students find their direction and position in the globalized world.
As a founding member and director of HD School, Linda has been involved in establishing schools in various cities including Ningbo in 2014, Shanghai in 2016, Beijing in 2017, Qingdao in 2018, and Nanjing in 2021. She has assisted students in successfully gaining admission to prestigious universities such as Cambridge and Oxford. Linda has also visited over 100 top schools in the UK and the US, including St. Paul’s School/Milton Academy on the east coast of the US, High Tech High on the west coast, as well as historic institutions like Winchester College and Eton College in the UK.
Allen McInnis serves as Head of Early Years/Primary School at the Beijing Canadian International School
With over 20 years of experience in the field of education, Allen McInnis brings extensive expertise to his role, including six years of administrative management and coordination.
He holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and management/curriculum and instruction from the United States.
Previously, Allen held positions at various schools, including as the deputy head of high school academic affairs at GEMS Al-Khaleej National School in Dubai, and as the MYP coordinator and PYP mathematics and assessment coordinator at GEMS World Academy in Dubai.
Earlier in his career, he served as the head of the mathematics department at J.B. Tyrell Sr. Public School in Ontario, Canada.
Grace Xia serves as Principal at the Ivy Academy Sanyuanqiao Campus
With 12 years of experience in the international early childhood education industry, Grace is dedicated to creating a safe, free, and loving environment where children feel encouraged to be themselves and dare to explore.
She’s always believed that good early childhood education should encourage children to bravely express themselves and dare to pursue their dreams. Each child is a unique landscape with different talents and interests. As a principal, her mission is to create a safe, free, and loving environment where children feel happy to be themselves and dare to be themselves.
Ivy Academy strives to help children develop a mindset of questioning and exploring, enabling them to think and communicate clearly and precisely while consistently pursuing excellence in all things. They aim to instill in every child the courage for change and inspiration, helping them become brave innovators. Simultaneously, we highly value communication and collaboration with parents, working together to create a harmonious and nurturing growth space for the children.
In addition to the presentations, JISE has created as many opportunities as possible for parents to engage with schools as directly as possible. After each session, parents can interact with speakers and school representatives in the auditorium, posing questions directly to school administrators and principals to deepen their understanding. Throughout the day, there will be over 30 international school consultation booths set up outside, offering a comprehensive overview of Beijing’s top international schools, all in one convenient location.
This year’s JISE is only for one day, so please plan your time accordingly.
We have carefully selected over 30 top-tier international schools in Beijing to participate. Renowned school principals, admissions officers, and frontline educators will engage with parents face-to-face, aiming to swiftly address the challenges of school selection.
This time, we aim to break free from the international education market’s longstanding conventions without deviating from its original goal.
Join us on Mar 23 from 9am to 5pm at the Beijing Hilton Hotel! We look forward to seeing you there!
Find it:
Hilton Beijing 北京希尔顿酒店
1 Dongfang Lu, Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区东三环北路东方路1号
Images: jingkids
